ANALYSIS OF THE DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS IN A MATERNITY FROM BELO HORIZONTE AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF RISKS IN PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDINGS.
Josiane Moreira da Costa, Luciana Morais Rocha, Cristiane Moraes Santos, Lorena Lima Abelha, Karla Cristina Araujo de Almeida

Objective: Analyze the prescription drugs in a maternity and classify them according to the risks during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Method: A retrospective and descriptive study was carried out at a teaching hospital in the state of Minas Gerais; all orally-administered drugs, both in solid and liquid forms, as well as injectable liquid drugs administered from August 1 to December 31, 2010 were considered. Data were transferred to a Microsoft Excel spread sheet. Drugs were classified by their active principles and pharmacological class, according the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC). Then, was used descriptive statistics for the analysis. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee.
Results: 134 active principles (AP) and 33,693 items were dispensed. The twenty most used APs corresponded to 89% of the total amount, scopolamine being the most used AP (47%). The most prescribed pharmacological class was that of antispasmodics of (56%). As to restrictions in use during pregnancy as regards the 20 most prescribed APs, 50% of them fall in class C and 40% in class B.
Conclusion: Most drugs used in this maternity ward pose acceptable risks during pregnancy and lactation, and this accounts for the less frequent occurrence of toxicity and prevention of weaning. The most frequently used pharmacological classes fit the maternity ward’s profile.
Breast feeding, Pregnancy, Drug prescriptions.

Descriptors: Breast feeding, Pregnancy, Drug prescriptions.